Shaping an area spell?

[redsonia!]

What are the various ways to "shape" an area spell? Feats vs spells? I want to be able to protect my allies who may be a little too close. Sculpt spell or feat?

[Dusk Eclipse]

From the top of my head, Sculpt Spell feat and Mastery of Shaping High Arcana from the Archmage prestige class... other than that I don't know.

[CosmicOccurence]

I do believe that there is a feat to turn touch spells into ranged touch spells, and the chain spell feat. Also, there is a high arcana called arcane reach that you can use. Not sure if this is exactly what you're looking for, but they're related.

[TaiLiu]

Spellwarp Sniper (PrC from Complete Scoundrel) can transform AoE spells into rays.

[nedz]

Sculpt Spell you already have, but note: this doesn't change the range of the spell; you need to combine it with Enlarge Spell for that.

So Enlarge Spell can change the area of a spell, most obviously with Lightning Bolt etc.

Widen Spell and Sudden Widen

Note: the last three here probably increase the risk of Friendly Fire

[Yorae]

If pathfinder material counts, there is Selective Spell to exempt targets from a spell.

[HunterOfJello]

I came in here specifically to drop a Recaster mention.


The Recaster is a Changeling-only arcane prestige class from Races of Eberron that gains lots of pseudo-sudden metamagic abilities that they can use quite often. One of their best abilities is that they can shape area spells into cool shapes. Their abilities are each "once per day per class level" and there are 5 levels in the PrC. That means you can use their abilities up to 5 times per day, which is pretty great. (That's why I said pseudo-sudden metamagic. Five times per day is a helluva lot better than 1/day.)

The class also gets a class feature called Expanded Knowledge two times during its progression. This Expanded Knowledge is far more expansive than the other abilities of the same name. You can choose a spell from ANY class list to learn. The only limitation is that the spell has to be of a spell level 1 lower than the highest spell level you know.

The Recaster is a badass PrC that I've always wanted to play on a Sorcerer or Wizard.

~~

To specifically point out a feature that accomplishes what you've mentioned. The 5th level class feature "Metamorphic spell (space)" allows you to change a spell 5 times per day. You can change them to:

1. Turn a touch spell into a ranged touch attack
2. Alter an area spell so that spaces inside of it are not affected
3. Alter the shape of a spell within several categories (cone, cylinder, line, sphere)

[Ernir]

Mentioning Extraordinary Spell Aim from Complete Adventurer for completeness. It's not very good, IMO.

[redsonia!]

I appreciate your help. From what everyone has written, I think the Sculp Spell feat and the Selective Spell are probably the best for what I want. And thanks for the information about the Archmage and the Recaster prestige classes.

I have been looking at prestige classes, trying to find one I like (and can meet the prereqs for). So far I haven't found one that I think actually enhances my powers over what I can design for myself. I am an 8th level generalist wizard, with a bend toward blaster/booster. Most of the PrCs I've seen require me to either give up things I'm not willing to give up, or they require feats I'm not interested in and not willing to waste a feat on. Am I crazy? Or do others feel that they can make better wizards than what are available in the PrCs?

[HunterOfJello]

Am I crazy? Or do others feel that they can make better wizards than what are available in the PrCs?

There are hundreds of prestige classes the wizard can enter in to. It is far more likely that you have yet to come across the one that you would enjoy the most than that pure wizard is the best for you.

If you give us your race, stats, feats, skill ranks to date, and template info, then we can likely find something good for you.

~
Example:

For instance, buffing wizards are often quite fond with the War Weaver PrC. You may not be interested in it, but I mention it because they are slightly obscure and amazing at buffing multiple targets simultaneous.

It's 5 level PrC with requirements of:
Skills: Craft (weaving) 6 ranks, Knowledge (arcana) 6 ranks
Feats: Enlarge Spell
Spells: Ability to cast 3rd-level arcane spells

By the 5th level in the class, the Wizard can cast four specifically prepared spells of up to 5th level each on a number of allies equal to their Intelligence modifier all as a move action. That means that a wizard with 18 intelligence can prepare five 5th level spells and cast them all on herself and 4 allies as a move action at the start of a fight, then use her standard action to throw a Fireball for good measure. The class is excellent for a wizard in a group and it turns them into amazing buffers since they can buff multiple allies for the cost of a single spell cast.

That PrC might not be your cup of tea, but there are tons out there and definitely one out there for you.

~

There are also a number of PrCs out there that are essentially costless. The only cost you would have in entering them is the opportunity cost of losing the 1 feat per 5 levels of Wizard. A good example of a costless and highly popular wizard PrC is the Paragnostic Apostle. The class is can be entered in to effortlessly and has a long list of mildly useful abilities that you get to choose from.

Here's some info on that:
The class gets the Lore ability, which would be worth taking levels in the PrC just to grab. It lets you use a Bardic Knowledge check using intelligence. The class also has a slightly longer class skills list than the Wizard and gets 4+int skill points per level instead of 2+int. Being able to put points into Search, Speak Language, and Spot would be nice.

The per level benefits of the class are modest, but each one is useful. Many resemble a sort of half-feat. For instance, Penetrating Insight gives a +1 to overcome Spell Resistance or to Dispel Magic. This isn't as great as the feat Spell Penetration, but a +1 to overcoming SR is still nice.

Manifest Ethos is a pretty nifty ability for Blasters. It lets you turn 1/2 the damage of your offensive spells into divine energy that can't be stopped by energy resistance or immunity if you use it on someone of the opposite alignment that you possess and choose.

Energy Supremacy and Backhanded Attack can also be good if you like to use a particular energy type or love using the Orb line of spells.

The Paragnostic Apostle isn't an amazing PrC like many others, but it's very impressive in the fact that you lose nothing taking levels in it and can gain lots of nifty little bonuses.

[Yorae]

Fatespinner doesn't have super amazing class features, but it gives up pretty much nothing to enter it (similar to paragnostic apostle above). It does have an interesting capstone, though (Seal Fate - +/- 10 to someone's saving throw).

Metamagic specialists often enjoy Incantatrix (requires one throwaway feat to enter, but gets back bonus metamagic feats). Notably, they can use metamagic effect to apply metamagic to spells after-the-fact, like casting a buff and then making it persistent. This requires very high spellcraft checks, though. They also make good blasters because... well, metamagic. You do need to ban a single school at first level, but thats not too terrible, especially for a generalist.

Mage of the Arcane Order isn't bad at all. You do need to throw a feat away on cooperative spell, but it also gives back bonus metamagic feats and gives you some very nice flexibility as a prepared caster.

Archmage is nice, but Spell Focus twice kind of hurts your feat budget.

[Fable Wright]

Mentioning Extraordinary Spell Aim from Complete Adventurer for completeness. It's not very good, IMO.

It can be. You can use it with Antimagic Field for cheesy goodness, in addition to being able to walk through a Solid Fog or Black Tentacles. And being able to always aim Waves of Exhaustion without hitting your party meatshield.

[redsonia!]

If you give us your race, stats, feats, skill ranks to date, and template info, then we can likely find something good for you.


HunterofJello: I am playing with the following PCs: a human paladin, a human ranger, a hobbit rogue, and a dwarf arcane warrior. We don't have a bard or a cleric. I am a lvl 8 Generalist wizard, elf.

Stats

Abilities
STR 13
DEX 16
CON 12
INT 17
WIS 12
CHA 6 Yeah, my initial rolls were awful!

Saving Throws:
Fort: 3
Reflex: 5
Will: 9

Combat:
Melee: 6
Ranged:7

HP: 33
AC 18
Initiative 3

Skill Modifier:
Balance: 7
Climb: 4
Concentration: 10
Craft (alchemy): 8
Jump: 4
Knowledge (arcana): 8
(local): 5
(history): 5
(geography): 5
Listen: 5
Move silently: 4
Ride: 8
Search: 6
SpellCraft: 9
Spot: 5
Swim: 2
Tumble: 8
Scry: 8

Feats:
Scribe scroll
Summon Familiar
Combat Casting
Spell Penetration
Improved Familiar - Pseudodragon
Empower Magic
Next feat (9th level) anticipated to be Craft Wondrous Item. Some future feats anticipated to be: Sculpt Spell, Alacritous Cogitation, Versatile Spellcaster, Quicken,

I'm not familiar with "template". What is that?
I'm hoping my "Complete Arcane" book arrives today!

My PC is primarily a blaster/booster, but I would like some warrior although not sure how to create that.

Can you give me some more ideas for PrCs? Please notice that my Cha is horrible! I do like a couple of the PrCs mentioned in this thread all ready, so I'll be looking into them. But I'm not familiar with very many PrCs, just the ones in PHB, DMG, and TaB.

Also, any ideas how to improve my stats, AC, HPs, etc would be greatly appreciated. I've been looking at a number of wondrous items and want to craft them.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[A_S]

Given that you're already a generalist wizard and an elf, you should take a look at the Elven Generalist alternate class features from Races of the Wild. Might be good for you.

[redsonia!]

Thanks, I actually just ran across a mention of that PrC about 10 minutes ago and was going to look into it. What about a Incanatrix?

[A_S]

Elven Generalist isn't a PrC, it's a set of substitution levels (basically, levels you can take in a standard class that have slightly different abilities, typically with a racial prerequisite, in this case elf). In this case, the one that's actually good is the level 1 substitution, which trades out your ability to specialize in a school of magic (which you're not doing anyway) for extra spells known per character level and an extra spell slot per spell level (it's pretty much like specializing in being a generalist wizard). By the standard rules, it's now too late for you to take this, although your DM might let you ret-con it.

Incantatrix (the current version is in Player's Guide to Faerun) is an excellent PrC. It gets full casting progression, some bonuses to Abjuration spells, and some good metamagic abilities, including:
-Bonus metamagic feats.
-Reduced spell level adjustment for using metamagic.
-The ability to apply metamagic (most importantly Persistent Spell) to ongoing spells (your own or others') with Spellcraft checks instead of spell level adjustments.
-Spontaneous metamagic application, with daily use limits.

Other excellent options include War Weaver (already mentioned, great for buffing your party) and Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil (Complete Arcane), which gets you the ability to become immune to pretty much anything as an immediate action, subject to a daily use limit.

Most of these would require some feat retraining to enter right away (although you could get into Incantatrix just by taking Iron Will next level); check with your DM about whether you'd be allowed to trade out feats you took previously.

[redsonia!]

Thanks so much for your help. This information has REALLY cleared up some things for me and helped me to focus on a PrC. Now I will talk to my DM to see which options I have available to me. I'm particularly interested in the War Weaver, Incantatrix, Mage of the Arcane Order. I'm also going to see if my DM will allow me to ret-con the 1st level substitution of the Elven Generalist so I can get the additional spells and spell slot. I also like the Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil, but don't know if I can meet the prereqs for that one.